The Two Ingredients Dr Pimple Popper Uses to Banish Blackheads

Step away from the pore strips!

Helen Wallace

Blackheads are the actual worst. My nose is permanently littered with tiny ones I can’t get a good enough grip on to squeeze out. But Sandra Lee, more commonly known as Dr Pimple Popper, has the answer I, and many others, have been waiting for. And it’s pain-free!

Dr Pimple Popper is a dermatologist who shot to fame when she started posting videos of her pimple extractions online, causing many people to lose their appetites permanently. Whether you find her videos fascinating or, quite frankly, nauseating, one thing is for sure: this doctor knows her way around a blackhead. Other than extracting them, which can cause scarring, there are two ingredients that she swears by to actually treat them. And if you struggle with blackheads and clogged pores, you’ll probably want to add them to your beauty regime immediately. I know I do.

#1: Salicylic Acid

The first ingredient Dr Pimple Popper recommends to get rid of pesky blackheads is one that is commonly found in acne-treating skincare products: salicylic acid. This chemical is able to penetrate deep into the skin to get rid of any excess sebum, dirt, bacteria and skin cells that can clog pores. In other words, this stuff deep-cleans like a boss.

#2: Retinol

The second ingredient is more commonly associated with anti-ageing products but, as it turns out, it’s effective at treating and preventing blackheads as well. We love a good two-in-one! Retinol, which is a derivative of vitamin A, helps to encourage cell turnover. This prevents any debris from building up in pores. It also dries skin out, which can control excess sebum production.